1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sharing of data over a network, and more specifically to sharing of digital media over a network. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to sharing of digital media over a network based on a geographic location.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Uploading of media and other data from a computing device to a platform for sharing the uploaded media with one or more persons is well known in the art. Smartphones are commonly used for taking photos, images and/or video at events and uploading the media to a cloud-based service or to a social media platform such as Facebook® or Instagram®.
When a user uploads media at an event, the user may provide other people with access to the media by uploading the media to a media-storage service such as Google Photos, and providing other users with an access code or link to view and/or download the media. Alternately, the user may upload and post the photo on a social media application. Selected other users of the application, such as “friends”, can then see the media uploaded to the social media application through the user's post on the social media platform. The user may also text or email the media to a person or group of people.
However, the above-mentioned methods require that the user have direct digital contact with the person or persons with whom the media is to be shared. For example, a family may host a birthday party for a child and invite friends and family, but perhaps the family is not on Instagram, and an attendee posts pictures of the party on Instagram. The family would not have direct access to those pictures without requesting that the attendee email the photos or provide the family with a link or other means of accessing the photos.
In some media software applications, an event can be previously defined with location and time parameters. Attendees at the event with smartphones can receive a request to “join” the event when they arrive at the location during the defined time.
Once the attendee joins the event, he can access the media of all others who have joined the same event.